The present application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/GB00/00837 filed Mar. 10, 2000, entitled xe2x80x9cAnimal Confinement Device,xe2x80x9d which claims priority to Great Britain Application No. 9905551.9, filed Mar. 11, 1999, and the entire disclosures of the above-referenced applications are herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to an animal confinement device, also referred to as a livestock control device, and in particular to a device for use in conjunction with other livestock retaining devices such as cattle crushes, lamb adopters, milking parlors or stables. The device of the present invention is designed for use on farms or in other situations where the control of livestock is required.
Cattle crushes, lamb adopters, milking parlors, stables and other such devices are commonly found on farms where it is desirable to hold an animal firmly in a fixed position. Such devices usually entail restraining the animal by the head or body to allow for example veterinary examination or grooming. However, these devices do not serve to restrain the hind legs of the animals. Consequently any person or other animal in the vicinity of the hind quarters of the animal can be seriously hurt if the animal decides to kick out with its hind legs.
The present invention seeks to address this problem by providing a restraining device in which the animal is restrained by the head and/or the body and is prevented from kicking out its hind quarters.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a confinement device for a four-legged animal is provided. The confinement device comprises a frame to receive the animal and a floor plate for the rear legs of the animal. The floor plate is arranged such that it is stable only when both rear legs of the animal bear down on the floor plate.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a portable animal confinement device for a four-legged animal is provided. The confinement device comprises a floor staging and a floor plate for supporting the hind quarters of the animal. The floor plate is pivotably mounted such that any movement of the animal""s hind quarters causes the floor plate to rock, thereby discouraging the animal from moving.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, a crush gate is provided. The crush gate comprises two pivotable leaves having a minimum separation between them when they are aligned. The leaves are adapted to pivot to an entry position to an intermediate extent sufficient to allow passage of the head, but not the shoulders, of an animal for which the crush gate is to be employed. The leaves are adapted to pivot to a full extent in an exit direction to allow the animal to pass through the crush gate and be released. The leaves have gaps formed in them that are adapted to receive the horns of an animal whose head is passing through the crush gate when the leaves are pivoted to an intermediate extent.
In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a confinement device for a four-legged animal is provided. The confinement device comprises a frame to receive the animal and a floor plate for the rear legs of the animal. The floor plate is arranged to be stable only when both rear legs of the animal bear down on the floor plate. A crush gate is provided having two pivotable leaves with a minimum separation between them when aligned. The leaves are adapted to pivot in an entry direction to an intermediate extent to permit passage of the head, but not the shoulders, of the animal for which the crush gate is intended to be employed. The leaves are adapted to pivot to a full extent in an exit direction to allow the animal to pass through the crush gate and be released. The leaves have gaps formed in them that are adapted to receive the horns of an animal whose head is passing through the crush gate when the leaves are pivoted to an intermediate extent.